And now a word from the GOP’s leading strategist on immigration policy
by digby
Erika Andiola and Cesar Vargas, both members of the Dream Action Coalition, shook hands with the two lawmakers and introduced themselves as beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program — a program King pushed to end through legislation in the House. Paul was quickly whisked away from the table by an aide and even left his food behind as Andiola handed her DACA card to King and offered to let him rip it up.
The Dream Action Coalition posted video of the confrontation to YouTube.
Andiola then referenced King’s infamous “calves the size of cantaloupes” remarks, in which he said some DREAMers, or undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, smuggle drugs across the border.
“Stop a minute,” King said as he grabbed Andiola’s wrist. “You’re very good at English. You know what I’m saying.”
“I was raised in the United States,” Andiola said.
King continued to insist that Andiola was misunderstanding him.
“I spoke of drug smugglers. Now, you’re not going to tell me you’re one of them are you?” he asked.
“Do I look like a drug smuggler to you?” she said.
Andiola went on to explain to King that she and her mother came to the U.S. from Mexico to escape her mother’s abusive relationship. King showed no sympathy when Andiola explained that her mother was going through the lengthy process of applying to stay in the U.S. legally.
“I’m really sorry that you come from a lawless country,” King said. “I hope that you can have a happy life. But please, do not erode the rule of law in America.”
I sure hope Steve King never commits even the smallest legal infraction because if he does he’s going to have these statements hung around his neck so tight he’ll be speaking in tongues.
I decided early in the conversation that I was not going to walk away,” he told reporters. “They’re here demanding that we change the laws…Why would you want to bring lawlessness to the United States of America? And that’s the question they cannot answer. Why would we want to turn America into a third world country?”
He’s talking about Rand Paul who’s in Iowa running as fast as he can from every piece of “libertarian” philosophy except low taxes and regulation. Paul was there and hightailed it out of the room as quickly as possible, presumably to preserve the fiction that he isn’t as xenophobic as Steve King. You know what they say about lying down with dogs …
As Dave Weigel reports in this entertaining piece on the altercation, Here’s Paul being introduced to the DREAMers:
He actually leaves the table after having taken a bite of what appears to be a hamburger, seems to almost do a spit-take, getting up from his seat midchew, and leaving behind the half-eaten sandwich
.